One of the simplest methods of recording and communicating information is the traditional method of writing the information down on a piece of paper with a writing instrument such as a pen. Writing information by hand on a piece of paper is inexpensive and can be done quickly and easily with little preparation. The traditional pen and paper method is also flexible in that a writer can generally write in any format anywhere on the page. One of the limitations, however, with handwriting on paper is that handwritten-content is not easily manipulated organized, or transferred without requiring a user to re-write the content. In other words, organizing handwritten information based on the specific content of the information typically requires rewriting the information on a new sheet of paper.
With this limitation in mind, some pen and paper hand writers label the content of handwritten information on paper. One method for labeling (or categorizing) handwritten information is to use different color inks when making handwritten notations. When doing so, these writers sometimes designate different colored inks to correspond to different informational categories depending on the content of the handwritten information. For example, during a meeting a note-taker may script “to do” information in red, “summary” information in green, and “important topics” in yellow. Alternatively, paper note-takers may script all information in the same color ink then post-designate the information by underlining or highlighting specific information with the ink color corresponding to the appropriate category for that information content.
Several limitations, however, are associated with designating the data content of handwritten script into information categories on traditional paper. As one example, the writer must carry with him or her a number of colored pens equal to the number of information categories that the writer intends to designate information into. Additionally, the writer must either remember which ink color corresponds to which data content category or write a legend onto paper and keep it in close association with the handwritten information so that the legend may be referred to at a later time.
Further, if after scripting the information in an ink color corresponding to the content category of the scripted information, the writer wishes to re-designate the information into a different category, the writer must re-write the information in the different ink color corresponding to the newly chosen data category. Yet another drawback of designating handwritten content using the traditional pen and paper method is evidenced in instances wherein a writer chooses to organize handwritten information by like information content categories. In this instance, the writer must also re-write the information as organized by content category.
With the widespread use of personal computers, many note-takers have chosen exchange the traditional pen and paper note-taking for typing to textual information using word processing software running on a personal computer. Unlike handwriting information with a traditional pen and paper, the advantage of such electronic methods of recording information is that the information can be easily stored and transferred to other remote computing devices and electronic media. Such electronically recorded text can also be easily corrected, modified, and manipulated in a variety of different ways.
Typical computer systems, especially computer systems using graphical user interface (GUI) systems such as Microsoft WINDOWS, are optimized for accepting user input from one or more discrete input devices. Common input devices include a keyboard for entering text and a pointing device, such as a mouse with one or more buttons, for controlling the user interface. The keyboard and mouse interface facilitates creation and modification of electronic documents including text, spreadsheets, database fields, drawings, and photos.
One of the limitations with conventional GUI systems is that a user must generally type the text they are entering into the personal computer using the keyboard. Entering text using a keyboard is generally slower and more cumbersome than handwriting. Although recent advances have been made in reducing the size of personal computers, they are still not as portable and easily accessible as traditional pen and paper. Furthermore, traditional pen and paper provide the user with considerable flexibility for editing a document, recording notes in the margin, and drawing figures and shapes. In some instances, a user may prefer to use a pen to mark-up a document rather than review the document on-screen because of the ability to freely make notes outside of the confines of the keyboard and mouse interface.
To address the shortcomings of traditional keyboard and mouse interfaces, and capitalize on the advantages associated with traditional pen and paper writing, there have been various attempts to create an electronic tablet that can record handwriting. Such electronic tablets typically comprise a screen and a handheld device that is similar to a pen (sometimes called a “stylus”). A user can write with the handheld device on the screen of the electronic tablet in a similar manner to traditional pen and paper. The electronic tablet can “read” the strokes of the user's handwriting with the handheld device and recreate the handwriting in electronic form on the screen with “electronic ink.” This electronic tablet approach can be employed in a variety of ways including, on a personal computer and on a handheld computing device.
Recently, other computer systems have been developed that provide for more sophisticated creation and manipulation of electronic ink. For example, the Microsoft READER application permits one to add electronic ink to a document. The system stores the ink and provides it to a user when requested. Other applications (for example, drawing applications associated with the Palm and PocketPC operating systems) permit the capture and storage of drawings. These drawings include other properties associated with the ink strokes used to make up the drawings. For instance, line width and color may be stored with the ink. One goal of these systems is to replicate the look and feel of physical ink being applied to a piece of paper.
In spite of the advances in electronic tablets and electronic ink, there are still several limitations with the performance of such electronic handwriting devices. One of those limitations is the inability of an electronic tablet system to allow a user to change pens so that a as to designate data content written with a given pen into a data category associated with that pen.
Further, traditional electronic tablet and ink systems do not provide users with an ability to designate existing handwritten information into data content categories for easy recognition.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need for a system and method for designating into various data categories information handwritten by a user with electronic ink. There is also a need for a system and method to render categorized handwritten data recognizable by the user. Further, there is a need for a system and method that is operative to enable a user to render categorized data as “task completed” or “content recognized” upon completion or recognition of the categorized data by the user.